The wage dispute between the Estonian Seamen's Union (EMSA) and the shipping company AS Kihnu Veeteed has been ongoing for five months.

Kihnu Veeteed connects the islands of Vormsi, Manilaid, Priisaare, Ruhnu and Aegna, as well as Kihnu itself, to the mainland.

EMSA has up to now spearheaded action, including a strike on July 26. Its leader, Jüri Lember, called the move by employees of Kihnu Veeteed to set up a new union "unacceptable."

While the bulk of Kihnu Veeteed's crew members – 29 out of 42 – are EMSA members, the new union, called the Lääne-Eesti meremeeste ametiühing (Western Estonian Seamen's Union), was founded by six Kihnu Veeteed staff, most of them vessel captains.

"Today, it has transpired that essentially six people, including four ship captains, have taken on the right to represent all employees in the company. That is not acceptable," said Lember.

Tõnis Sõlg, representative of the new union and captain of the Kihnu Veeteed ferry Soela, said the organization was prompted after talks between EMSA and the company reached an apparent deadlock.

"This matter started to drag on, and the main sufferer is as always the employee. In order to wrap this up quickly and, in the interest of industrial peace, to get back to work calmly, that was the motivation," Sõlg said.

He stressed that the Lääne-Eesti meremeeste ametiühing was not set up in direct opposition to EMSA, adding that they give more leeway on some points of dispute with Kihnu Veeteed and have even left some of EMSA's issues off the table.

"I think the creation of this new trade union was prompted by life itself — that it has not been possible to reach an agreement with EMSA and hold reasonable negotiations, and that has probably led to employee disappointment and a desire to sort things out themselves," said Jaak Kaabel, CEO of Kihnu Veeteed.

According to Kaabel, the company could theoretically have more than one collective agreement.

Lember said he disagrees with some points in the new union's collective bargaining stance and remained unfazed by the new challenger.

"We are not bothered by a collective agreement made without negotiations, half behind the scenes, about which the company's employees know nothing. He said, adding "We will continue our normal negotiation procedure."

Since it seems Kihnu Veeteed will not be continuing talks with EMSA, a full strike beckons, Lember added, calling it "our right."

This strike would initially be for 24 hours, he said, and a decision on whether to go ahead will be made "shortly."

The previous strike on July 26 affected two ferries, serving Kihnu and Vormsi.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!